NOTE: This recruitment was amended on August 28, 2025, to update the job description and supplemental question.
PEOPLE FIRST – Conduct fair, accurate, secure, and transparent elections to increase public participation and confidence.
The San Mateo County Registration & Elections Division is seeking seasonal
Election Worker – Office Assistants to assist in the upcoming November 4, 2025, Special Election.
The Elections Division is an exciting, fast-paced environment, especially as elections approach. This is an excellent opportunity to work with a group of dynamic, well-organized, and highly efficient individuals committed to the democratic process. More information about the organization is available on the Elections Division website
www.smcacre.gov .
We are currently seeking dedicated and hard-working individuals for temporary, full-time positions to be hired into one of the following areas:
BALLOT RETRIEVAL
- Have a valid CA driver’s license and be able to drive county vehicles (cargo van/SUV/car) to various San Mateo County locations accompanied by a partner throughout the day (and evenings as necessary).
- Possess attention to detail and can perform ballot retrievals according to procedures.
- Able to lift 50 lbs.
- Retrieve voted ballots from Vote Centers and Ballot Drop Boxes throughout San Mateo County.
- Deliver voted ballots to San Mateo County Registration & Elections Division.
- May also assist and deliver supplies to Vote Centers.
- Will also assist with Vote by Mail processing.
VOTE BY MAIL
- Retrieving ballots from local post office.
- Driving a county van.
- Processing Vote by Mail ballots.
- Repetitive work.
- Operating ballot processing equipment.
- Should be able to lift 25lbs.
- Scanning and adjudicating ballots.
- Possess great attention to detail.
Fluency in Spanish, Mandarin and/or Cantonese, Tagalog/Filipino, Korean, Burmese, Hindi, or Japanese is preferred in Customer Service/Phone Bank and Outreach Services but not required.
The Election Worker – Office Assistant is classified as an Office Assistant I. The starting hourly wage for this position starts at $23.72.
This is an extra-help, at-will assignment, paid on an hourly basis. Extra-help hours are dependent on the business needs of the department and therefore work hours may vary from week to week. Extra help employees shall not exceed 1,040 hours of work per fiscal year. Some extra help positions are eligible for benefits under the Affordable Care Act. Extra help employees are not guaranteed permanent status at the end of the assignment.
Qualifications
Ideal
Clerical Support and Customer Service candidates will have a minimum of one year of general clerical, office assistant, phone services, or computer experience.
Critical skills for all Election Worker Office Assistant positions include the ability to prioritize work, coordinate several activities, organize, and maintain accurate files and records, and understand and carry out oral and written directions.\
Office hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Some positions may require working overtime, including long hours, weekends, evenings, and holidays. Any authorized time worked more than 40 hours in the workweek shall be considered overtime and shall be compensable at the rate of one and one-half (1-1/2) times the overtime worked. The selected individuals must be available for the entire employment period until the completion of their assignment.
The last anticipated day of employment will be ten days after Election Day which is November 14, 2025. Visit smcvote.org or follow us on social media @smcvote for updates on election schedules.
Application/Examination
This is an extra-help recruitment. Anyone may apply. Computer access is available for free at any San Mateo County Library.
PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE ELECTIONS DIVISION OR THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT. The Elections Division will contact you by phone or email if your qualifications meet the current needs.
Because these are full-time (temporary) positions, candidates whose applications indicate they are currently employed in a full-time capacity will not be contacted. However, if you are currently employed and would like to be considered, please indicate how you could meet the required work schedule given your current employment in the supplemental questionnaire.
IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the “Apply” button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted in addition to the standard County employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required application materials.
Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.
This is a continuous recruitment which may close at any time. The final filing date will be posted 5 days in advance in the San Mateo County Human Resources Department.
Apply immediately. This recruitment is open on a continuous basis, and selections may be made at any time within the process.
Notice to Applicants:
Please note that this recruitment includes one-day hiring events conducted via Zoom, featuring on-the-spot interviews. To participate, you must submit your application as instructed above. If your application passes the initial screening, a recruiter will provide you with the option to register for one of the hiring events listed below:
- September 3, 2025, 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.
- September 17, 2025, 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.
About The County
